Apparatus for producing spherical objects.



. E; E. NEAL. I

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SPHERICAL OBJECTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1913.

' Patented Feb-27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mlll WITNESSES.

INVENTOR;

@- ATTORNEY,

E. E. NEAL.

' APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SPHERICAL OBJECTS, APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 19x3.

1,217,205. A Patented Feb. 27,1917 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I INVENTOR.

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ELMER E. NEAL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY JYIESNEASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE NEW DEPARTURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CON

NEC'IICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SPHE BIICAL OBJECTS.

Application filed April 17, 1913. Serial No. 761,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. NEAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Producing Spherical Objects, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for producing spherical objects and, although in no wise restricted to such use, the illustrated machine is particularly applicable to the production of steel balls.

Heretofore, in the manu balls'it has been usual, after the roughly formed balls have been shaped from wire by the bulldozer, to reduce them to a desuitable grinding machine, but such grinding is slow and the machines therefor have a heavy maintenance expense as well as a high first cost.

One object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for reducing slugs, for example roughly formed balls and the like, to desired shape and size without grinding.

T 0 this end and also to improve generally upon apparatus of the character indicated my invention consists in the following matters, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus embodying my invention, looking in the direction of the arrow A Fig. 2, andwith the guard plate partially broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a face view, to a somewhat greater scale, of the die block and the transferrer, portions of the same being broken away to economize space and the advanced position of the transferrer being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. at is a section substantially on the line -l4 of Fig. 3, and showing in dotted lines a pusher in its advanced position;

Fig.5 is a view of a ball after being passed through a die; and

Fig. 6 is a rear view of a die;

' facture of steel i from the bulldozer are forced by the pushers or punches 3. The dies 1 are preferably of substantially the same diameter and pref- -Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd Fel 27 191*? I erably, and as shown have a common principal plane.

A carrier or transfer-rel, shown as the block 4 provided with holders, illustrated as open-bottomed pockets 5, is located. at the rear of the bank of dies to :receive the balls discharged from the dies. This carrier has a sidewise and an upward and downward travel with relation to the dies. This travel enables the transferrer to carry the balls from the'rear of one die to the front of another die, say the next one to the right, "and to a position before the principal plane of the dies. As illustrated, the transferrer is provided with holders for receiving articles from each die except 0nethe last one to the right.

In the present instance, the dies a-recarried upon the upper face of a die block- 6.

The block is provided at the rear of each die with an inclined chute, or passage 7 of sufiicient width and depth to insure travel of the balls therein. It serves as a receiver for the balls. The passages are preferably curved in part in cross section and open through the front surface of the block as indicated at 7-. a

The die block is shown as located at an angle to the base of the machine, whereby gravity moves the balls from the dies to the transferrer along the downwardly extending passages.

The forward travel of the carrier lifts the balls upward beyond the edge of the die holderS and into a position in advance of the principal plane of the dies but above the dies. The balls fall through the openbottoms of the pockets 5 into position before the dies. Conveniently the ballsare arrested in their fall and retained in position before the dies by a support shown as the drain plate 9 located in advance of the dies and, in part, below them.

It will be seen that a ball in its travel from the rear of one die to the front side ferrer to the drain, plate.

Thus, in the operation of the machine, the slugs, as the balls B, are forced repeatedly through a circular die, as 1, such die being of sufficiently small diameter to shave the ball to the diameter desired. A ball is forced through a die by a pusher 3, then turned, say as just above described, to bring a different portion of the surface thereof into a position to be acted on by a die, again forced through a die, and so on. \Vhen a ball B is forced through a die a band of material. is removed therefrom leaving a ring like path 2 of reduced diameter upon the surface. thereof, and, as the ball is repeatedly turned and forced through a die, it is evident that the various paths, as 2 and 2, will merge and eventually the ball will be reduced to the desired size and sphericity. It will be evident that as much of the former grinding may, with the apparatus, be eliminated as is feasible. For example, all rough grinding may be eliminated.

The drain plate 9 is provided with sockets 10 for the balls, one before each die, and

with-slots 11' in the bottoms of the sockets through which the oil and chaff may escape. Both the die holder 8 and the drain plate are shown as supported upon the die block (i by the screws 12. It is evident that the die holder may be considered, in effect, a part of thedie block.

For convenience in manufacture, the holders or pockets 5 extend through the carrier 1, at the front face thereof, and, therefore, in the present instance, the carrier is provided with a guard, shown as the plate 13, for preventing the escape of the balls. Preferably the-plate extends beyond the upper edge of the carrier to guard the balls at that point-also.

Any suitable mechanism for reciprocating the carrier 4 may be employed. In the illustrated device, a pair of slideway blocks 14, 11, is carried upon the front face of the bed 15 of the machine frame. In each block ll is mounted, to reciprocate up and down .and somewhat crosswise the bed, the

slide 16, which is connected at its end to the carrier 1, say by the bolt 17. The slides are reciprocated by the connecting rods 18, 13, each pivoted at one end to the gate 19 of the machine and at the other end to the shifter or lever 20. The lever 20 is pivoted to the bed 15, as at 21, and is connected by the link 22 to the slide 16, the link, of course, being pivoted to the lever and to the slide.

It will be seen that, with this arrangement, as the gate 19 reciprocates carrying with it the pushers 3 the carrier is correspondingly reciprocated, advancing as the pushers recede, and vice versa. Thus as the pushers are retreating to initial position, the balls, which have just been forced through the dies, are moved into position before the dies ready for the next operation.

The gate 19, supporting the pushers in the usual or any other suitable manner, is reciprocated, as is usual in presses, by the connecting'rods 23, 23, connected with the cranks 2+, 24, of the driving shaft 25, and pivoted to the gate.

If desired the pivotal connection between a connecting rod 18 and a shifter 20 may be by means of an adjustable pivot'26 held in adjusted position upon the shifter by the clamp bolt 28' adjustable in the slot 27. Also the connecting rods 23 may be made adjustable as to length by the interior turn buckles 29.

The articles operated upon may be fed to the machine from the hopper 30 at the left and discharged from the last passage 7 to the right. The delivery pipe 31 of the hopper (which pipe may be adjustable as to length) is shown as received, at its lower end, in a slot 32, extending from the end of the drain plate 9 to the first socket 10. As shown the pipe so rests in this slot that the lowermost ball of the column extending up the pipe will rest in the socket 10 before the pusher and support the column. Upon the advance of the pusher the ball in the socket is removed, while the pusher supports the column, andupon retreat of the pusher a new ball drops into the socket.

I The die block is shown as carried upon the upper face ofthe bed 15 and as connected thereto by the bolts 33. The sockets 10 preferably have curved bottoms as shown in 'Figs. 3 and 4 and are, of course, open at their sides toward the gate to permit the advance of the pushers. The passages 34 in the lower face of the die block are provided for the escape of any oil which it may be found advisable to feed to the transferrer and front face of the die block as by way of the notches 35 in the front edge of the guard plate 13.

Preferably all of the passages 7 except that one-which servesas a delivery passage from the machine, as the last one to the right in the illustrated embodiment, are provided each with a pair of flat bottomed drain grooves 36, 36, leaving a flat topped ridge 37 along which latter the balls may travel the oil and chaff draining into the grooves 36 and thence to the passages 34. For conridges 37 may be provided in a separable part 38 of the block 6 and held to the block proper by the set screws 39 seated in the block proper.

As illustrated the slideway blocks 14, 14 are adjustable upon the bed 15 tovary the angle of travel of the slides 16. A block 14 is turnably connected to the bed by a pivot pin 40 and by set screws 41, 41, seated in the bed and passing through slots 42, 42, in the block, such slots being curved about the center 40." The blocks are also illustrated as having adjustable slot sides or gibs 43, held in position by set screws 44 seated in the block 14.

The rods 18 may be made adjustable as to length as by the turn buckles 45, 45.

Upon the dies becoming worn, they may be easily and quickly replaced at small expense, thus eliminating the great expense and loss of time incident to a grinding machine the grinding elements of which must be frequently redressed or replaced at great expense.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient apparatus for producing objects of desired form and size, say spherical objects, from slugs of irregular shape without grinding.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a bank of dies and pusher means for forcing the articles operated upon through said dies, of means for transferring the articles that have been forced through said dies from the rear of said dies to the front thereof into position to be again pushed through the dies by said pusher means; substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a bank of dies and pusher means for forcing the articles operated upon through said dies, of means for transferring each article that has been forced through a die from the rear of such die to the front of another die and into position to be pushed through such other die by said pusher means; substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character indicated,

' the combination with abank o f dies arsuch next die by the said pusher means; substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character indicated,

the combination with a bank of circular dies all of substantially the same diameter and pusher means for forcing the articles operated upon through said dies, of means for transferring the articles that have been forced through said dies from the rear thereof to the front thereof into position to be again pushed through said dies by said pusher means; substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a bank of circular dies all of substantially the same diameter and pusher means for forcing the articles operated upon through said dies, of meansfor transferring each article that has been forced through a die from the rear of such dieto the front of another die and into position to be pushed through such other die by said pusher means; substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a bank of circular dies all of substantially the same diameter and arranged side by side, and pusher means for forcing the articles operated upon through said dies, of means for transferring each article that has been forced through, a die from the rear of such die to the front of the next die and into position to be pushed through such next die by said pusher means; substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies, a block provided at the rear of each die with an article passage in communication, with such die, a movable transferrer adjacent said block and having article holders each located for communication at times with a respective passage, and means whereby said transferrer may be so moved with relation to said block that each holder 'is shifted into communication with the front of a die other than that with which its respectivepassage communicates; subby said transferrer may be sozmoved with relation to said block that each holder. is shifted into communication with the front of a die other than that with which its respective passage communicates; substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character indicated, a die, a block behind said die and having an article passage extending in a generally downward direction from the rear of said die and down which the articles operated upon can roll, and transfer means in communication with said passage for receiving said articles and lifting them to a position in advance of the principal plane of said die; substantially as described.

10. In a device of the character indicated, a die, a-member behind said die provided with a surface along which the articles operated upon can roll, and means for receiving the articles from the rear of said die and rolling them over said surface to a position in advance of the principal plane of said die; substantially as described.

11. In a device of the character indicated, a die, an article support before and below said die, and article transfer means for receiving the articles operated upon from said die, moving them to a position in advance of the principal plane of said die and above said support and permitting them to drop to said support; substantially as described.

12. In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies, .a block behind said dies and having article passages extending in a generally downward direction from the rear of each die and down which the articles op erated upon can roll, and transfer means in communication with said passages for re ceiving said articles and lifting them to a position in advance of said dies; substantially as described.

13. In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies, a member behind said dies provided with a surface along which the articles operated upon can roll, and means for receiving the articles from the rear of said dies and rolling them over said surface to a position in advance of said dies; substantially as described.

14. In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies, an article support before and below said dies, and article transfer means for receiving the articles operated upon from said dies, moving them to a position in advance of such dies and above said support and permitting them to drop to said support; substantially as described.

15. In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies, means for forcing articles through said dies, a member behind said dies provided with a surface along which the articles operated upon can roll, and means for receiving the articles from the rear of said dies and rolling each of them along said surface to a position in advance of a die other than that through which such article has just been forced; substantially as described.

16. In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies. means for forcing articles through said dies, an article support before and below said dies, and means forreceiving the articles operated upon from said dies, moving each to a position in advance of and above a die other than that through which it has'just been forced and permitting it to drop to said support into.

position before such other die; substantially as described;

17. In a device of the character indicated, a frame, a bank of dies carried thereby, a gate reciprocatable in said frame to and from said dies and carrying pushers for cooperation with said dies, a reciprocatable article transferrer behind said dies, and movable from rear to front thereof for receiving articles from the rear of said dies and transferring them to the front thereof, and means operatively connecting said gate and transferrer for moving said transferrer to transfer articles from the rear of said dies to the front thereof while said gate is retreating from said dies; substantially as described.

18. In a device of the character indicated, a supporting frame with a base, a die block carried thereby at an angle to said base, said block having an upper face and a front face lying at an angle to each other and to said base, a bank of upwardly facing dies carried upon said upper face and below the principal plane of said ,front face, said block also having article passagestherein each extend-- ing from the rear of a respective die in a direction generally downward toward said base and opening through said front face, an arti cle transferrer reciprocatively mounted before said front face to travel upward and downward and at the same time crosswise of said face, said transferrer being provided with open-bottomed article holders located to each register, whensaid transferrer is in its lower position, with a respective article passage where said passage opens through said front face, and means for reciprocating and for guiding said transferrer and'whereby it is shifted to move upward from the lower position across said front face to bring each holder into a position above said dies and in advance thereof and beyond said front face whereby an article will drop through the open bottom of such holder into position before another die than that from which it was received; substantially as described.

19. In a deviceof the character indicated, the combination with a frame provided with a bed, a die block carried by said bed, a bank of dies carried by said block, a punch gate reciprocatively carried by said frame, and

a transferrer for moving articles relatively to said dies and to be reciprocated diagonally of said block-as said gate reciprocates,

of means for guiding said transferrer comprising a slideway block carried by said bed connecting said shifter and slide, and a connecting rod between said shifter and gate; substantially as described.

20. In a device'of the character indicated,

I I a die, a block adjacent said dieand provided with a chute for the articles operated upon, such chute including a portion having a grooved and rigid bottom along which said articles can travel and drain; substantially as described.

21. In a device of the character indicated, a die, a block adjacent said die and provided with a chute for the articles operated upon, said block including a separable portion forming a part of the block and connected to the block proper and providing aportion of said chute; substantially as described.

- 22. In a device of the character indicated, a die, a block adjacent said die and provided with a chute for the articles operated upon, such chute including a portion having a grooved and ridged bottom along which said articles can travel and drain, and said block including a separable portion forming a part of the block and connected to the block proper and providing said chute portion; substantially as described.

23. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a frame provided with a bed, a die block carried by said bed, a bank of'diescarried by said block, and a transferrer for moving articles relatively to said dies and to be reciprocated diagonally of said block, of means for guiding said transferrer comprising" a slideway block carried by said bed with its slideway extending diagonally of said bed, a slide carried in said slideway and connected to said transferrer, and means for reciprocating said slide, of

' means for adjustably connecting said bed and said slideway block and permitting the adjustment of said slideway block to vary the direction of travel of said slide; substantially as described. 1

' 24. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a frame provided with a bed, a die block carried by said bed, a bank .of dies carried by said block, and a transferrer for moving articles relatively to said dies and to be reciprocated diagonally of said block, of. means for guiding said.

transferrer comprising a slideway block carried by said bed with its slideway extending diagonally of said bed, a slide carried in said slideway and connected to said transferrer, and means for reciprocating. said slide, of means ,for adjustably connecting said bed and said slideway blockcomprising a pivot pin connecting said slideway block and bed and a set screw received in-said'bed and extending through said block, said block being provided with a slot curved about said pivot pin asa center and through which said set screw extends; substantially as described.

25. In a device of the character indicated, a frame, a die carried thereby, a gate element reciprocatable in said frame to and from said die and carrying a member for co? operation with said die, a reciprocatable transferrer element for conveying articles relatively to said die, and means for operatively connecting said elements and whereby the reciprocations of one control those of the other; substantially. as described-- 26. In a device of the character indicated,

a frame, a die carried thereby, a gate element reciprocatable in said frame to and from said die and carrying a member for cooperation with said die, a reciprocatable transferrer element for conveying articles relatively to said die, and adjustable means. for operatively connecting said elements and whereby the reciprocations of one control those of the other; substantially as described.

27. In 'a device of the character indicated, a frame, a die'carried thereby, a gate element reciprocatable. in said frame to and from said die and carrying a member for cooperation with said die, a reciprocatable transferrer element for conveying articles relatively to said die and a reciprocatable con- -necting rod between said elements whereby the reciprocations of one element control those of the other; substantially as described. 28. In a device of the character indicated,

. the combination with a die and pusher means for forcing the articles operated upon through said die, of means for transferring the articles that have been forced through said gate and transferrer for moving said transferrer; substantially as described.

30. In a device of the character indicated, a frame, a die carried thereby, a gate reciprocatable in said frame to and from said die --.and carrying a pusher for cooperation with.

said die, a reciprocatable article transferrer behind said die and movable from rear to front thereof for receiving articles from the rear of said die and transferring them to a position in advance of the principal plane thereof, and means for moving said transferrer to so transfer the articles while said gate is retreating from said die; substantially as described.

31. In a device-of the character indicated, a frame, a die carried thereby, a member carried in said frame for travel to and from said die and carrying. a pusher for forcing articles through said die, an article transferrer carried by said frame and movable from rear to front of said die for receiving articlesfrom the rear of saiddie and transferring them to a position in advance of the principal plane of said die, link work connecting said member and said transferrer, and mechanism for actuating said member; substantially as described.

32. In a device of the character indicated, die providing means, means for forcing the article operated on through a die provided by said means, means whereby said article is turned after being forced through said die, and means for transferring said article to a position ready to be again forced through a die provided by said die providing means; substantially as described.

33. In a device of the character indicated, die providing means, means for forcing the article operated on through a die provided by said means, and means for turning said article after it has been forced through said die and transferring said article to a position ready to be again forced through a die provided by said die providing means; substantially as described.

34;. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a die, pusher means for forcing the article operated on throughsaid die, and means whereby said article is turned after being forced through said die, of means for transferring the article to a position in advance of the principal plane of said die; substantially as described.

35. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a die and pusher means for forcing the article operated on through said die, of means'for turning the article after it has been forced through said die and transferring it to a. position in advance of the principal plane of said die; substantially as described.

36. In a device of the character indicated, a pair of dies, pusher means for forcing the article operated on through said dies, and means presenting a path of travel for said article from the rear of one die to a position before the other, such last named means including a chute along which said article can travel and turn thereby to be presented to the second die in a position different than that in which it was presented to the first die; substantially as described.

37 In a device of the character indicated, a bank of dies,,means for forcing the articles operated upon through said dies, a member behind said dies and having article passages extending from the rears of said dies and along which said articles can travel, and transfer means in communication with said passages for receiving the articles and moving each into a position in advance of a die other thanthat through which such article has just been forced; substantially as described.

a 38. In a device of the character indicated, a die having its die-opening extending completely therethrough and of a diameter permitting the passage of the articles upon which said die is adapted to operate, and means providing at the rear of said die a non-vertical surface along Which the articles that have passed through the die can travel, such surface providing a means whereby such articles are turned; substantially as described.

- 39. In a device of the character indicated, a die, a block behind said die and having an article passage extending from the rear of said die and along which the articles operated upon can roll, and transfer means in communication with said passage for receiving said articles and moving them to a position in advance of the principal plane of said die; substantially as described.

40. In a device of the character indicated,

a bank of dies, a block behind said dies and having article passages extending from the rear of each die and along which the articles operated upon can roll, and transfer means in communication withsaid passages for receiving said articles and moving them to a position in advance of said dies; substantially as described.

41'. In a device of.-;,the character indicated, a frame, die providing means carried thereby, a gate reciprocatable in said frame to and from a die provided by said means and carrying a pusher for coiiperation with said die, a reciprocatable article transferrer behind said die and movable toward said means for receiving articles from the rear of said die and transferringthem to a position in advance of the principal plane of a die provided by said means, and means operatively connecting said gate and transferrer for moving said transferrer; substantially as described.

42. In a device of the character indicated, a frame, die providing means carried thereby, a gate reciprocatable in said frame to and from a die provided by said means and carrying a pusher for cotiperation with said die, a reciprocatable article transferrer behind said die and movable toward said means for receiving articles from the rear of said and carrying a" pusher for forcing articles through said die, an article transferrer carried by said frame and movable toward said means for receiving articles from the rear of In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix m said die and transferring them to a position signature, in the presence of two Witnesses. In advance of the prlnclpal plane of a die provided by said means, link work connect- ELMER E. NEAL. ing said member and said transferrer, and Witnesses: 4 mechanism for actuating said member; sub- HARRY W. BOWEN,

stantially as described. v I MINNIE A. HUNTER. 

